Charting the Nuances in the Group Differences and Changes in Youths’ Motivational Beliefs: Insights from Multiple Datasets

• In Event: Bridging Equity Gaps in STEM: Insights from the Upcoming Handbook on Gender and STEM

Abstract

Objectives
Youth’s STEMM motivational beliefs are complex, multifaceted, and change over individuals’ lifetimes and historical time. To support the next generation of young people in STEMM, we need to understand the nuances in the development of students’ STEMM beliefs. According to situated expectancy-value theory, individuals’ motivational beliefs will follow diverse developmental pathways that are situated and shaped by their gender and race/ethnicity, their immediate settings, and historical time (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020). In this paper, we review empirical findings on three key issues concerning youth’s motivational beliefs: (1) nuances in gender differences within the four largest racial/ethnic groups in the US, (2) diverse developmental pathways in students’ beliefs, and (3) historical changes from the 1980s to the 2010s.

Methodology
As shown in Table 3.1, we analyzed six existing datasets, including local (e.g., MSALT, CAMP) and nationally representative datasets (e.g., HSLS; PSID-CDS), with students ranging from 1st grade to post-high school. These datasets included similar measures across demographically diverse U.S. populations (e.g., over 50% potential first-generation college students) that collectively span the 1980s to the 2010s, enabling researchers to test intersectionality and conceptual replication across different developmental stages and historical contexts. Each dataset includes a rich set of reliable, valid measures of students’ math and science motivational beliefs, choices, and performance; indicators of their educational experiences; and demographic information. We used elaborated methods for analysis, e.g., conceptional replications, meta-analytical approaches or latent growth curve models.

Findings and Significance
First, we identified variations in gender differences across groups and STEMM motivational beliefs. As shown in Figure 3.1, the typical trend that boys have higher math competence-related beliefs than girls emerged when we examined the full sample in each dataset and replicated among European Americans and usually replicated among Asian Americans and Latine Americans. Differences rarely replicated for African Americans, which suggests gender differences do not generalize across racial/ethnic groups. Gender differences for African Americans were either nonsignificant or favored girls. Moreover, gender differences were more consistent for adolescents’ math competence-related beliefs compared to subjective task values (which were often similar for boys and girls) and gender ability stereotypes (which varied across high school; Figure 3.2).
Second, we identified diverse developmental pathways concerning students’ STEMM motivational beliefs (e.g., their STEM career expectations, math competence-related beliefs). For example, using HSLS data, we found that although most adolescents maintained their non-STEMM (76% - 79%) or STEMM (57% - 62%) career expectations from 9th to 11th grade, several adolescents changed their mind and switched from STEMM to non‐STEMM careers (38% - 43%) or from non‐STEMM to STEMM careers (21% - 24%). These findings challenge the idea that high school is too late to inspire and bring new students into STEMM (Figure 3.3).

Finally, though there were some exceptions, many of the gender differences replicated across the multiple datasets despite the varying historical time points in which data were collected—suggesting more large-scale and national changes may be needed to move the needle concerning gender disparities in STEMM.

Authors

• Sandra D. Simpkins, University of California - Irvine

• Charlott Rubach, University of Rostock

• Glona Lee-Poon, University of California - Irvine

• Hyewon Lee, University of California - Irvine

• Miranda G. Goldstein, University of California - Irvine

• Jacquelynne S. Eccles, University of California - Irvine